This is Missouri's take on the Federal rule against tampering with a VIN plate. As soon as you remove it from its original installation, it is TAMPERED WITH. Easy, but only logical, not sensible or reasonable. I wouldn't even get them involved, as long as: A. I know I am working with MY VIN, on MY car. B. I am not doing anything in an effort to lie about my car's equipment or provenence. C. I am REPAIRING a problem, not switching things around for giggles, or just because I can. Sometimes, you have to leave the officials out of the loop, because they don't know what they are doing; this sounds like one of those times.